Once Bitten Twice Shy Part II
by UchihaSanNin
Summary: She ran from her wolf all her life. He embraced it. She was shy; he was blunt. She had a temper that could put Tsunade to shame; He stayed in control. He suddenly volunteers as Beta. Sasuke's family loved him. But when an arranged marriage between packs forces Itatchi away, things start to change. As Sasuke steps up and walks down the path of life, the fur really starts to fly.


Once bitten; Twice Shy

Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I really haven't done one in a while. LOL but I do not own Naruto or the characters. :D

* * *

A/N- If you are wondering what happened to chapter one, it is actually a one shot that is by the same name. You could probably read this without worrying over it, but just incase, I will put the link in here for it. :]

Id # 9499839

UchihaSanNin

Dark, lively grey eyes watched the herd of large deer closely as they moved through the thicket forty yards ahead of where the massive, black wolf stood. He was mostly covered in the thick brush that stood four feet over his large head, hidden partially by the trees. It was good cover for a hunt such as this. Fur as dark as the midnight sky gleamed in the sunlight, making it appear an odd, nearly indigo blue. His ears pricked forward with interest, his tongue retreated back into his mouth, quieting his breathing.

The wolf's mouth watered at the thought of the gamey, spicy taste of the wild meat in his mouth, the blood flowing over his tongue, soaking into the fur of his muzzle, running down his parched throat to warm his empty belly.

Five other wolves stood in various locations, ranging from a few feet to a couple yards. The black wolf's large, triangular ears flicked back, flattening against his head as another equally colored male of higher status walked up to his side. He looked at him as he crouched down. The older and much larger wolf had his tail arched high over his back, signaling that he was alpha here. He was to be respected. The spray of grey fur across his face, cheeks, ears, legs and tail attested to his age. The younger wolf immediately backed down, lowering his long, bushy tail in submission to the alpha that now stood over him.

The signal was silently given, and the black wolf that cowered next to the alpha shot out of the bushes as planned. Two others that were closer to the large deer propelled themselves from their own hiding places, pushing the deer back toward the black wolf to the south of them. The wolf gathered all of his strength into his legs and hamstrings, as the large game turned his way and ran toward him without a second thought. He leaped up, slamming his massive body into the chest of a deer, making the animal veer off of it's path of escape and slam into the ground. The wolf's jaws immediately closed over the large stag's throat and it screamed loudly. The other wolves joined the young male that held the deer down, struggling to avoid it's sharp, flailing hooves.

One by one, the other wolves grabbed various appendages. The alpha of the pack sunk his teeth into the animals nose, shutting off it's source of air, attempting to assist the younger raven colored wolf. The large stag gave one final thrash with his legs, lifting his head up and slamming it back down once more, then passed.

They all released their prey slowly, as if waiting for it to suddenly jump up and run once more and join the rest of the herd.

–

–

Sasuke scrubbed his arm over the dried crimson stain that covered his chin, mouth, nose and throat. He grimaced, wondering why his wolf would live for that kind of thing. Well, he understood why. He would've just really appreciated it if he would've cleaned up.

Oh well.

He walked back with the upper half of the deer slung over his shoulder, with another man walking behind him, shouldering the rump and lower torso of the dead animal. His father and a few of the other men laughed ahead of them, swapping stories of their youth. Sasuke rolled his eyes.

They were waiting to skin the animal when they got home, back to alpha house rather, to reduce the fly swarm that was already working their way around them.

As they came up to the stained, wrap around porch of the large house that Sasuke Uchiha's family occupied, they hefted the stag up by its rope bound legs. They heaved it up toward the rafter over their heads where there was two large, heavy duty swivel hooks installed into the thick piece of wood. They hung the rope onto the hooks, and as they released the heavy prize, the deer swayed and the wood beam over their heads creaked with the sudden load it bore.

Sasuke sighed, wiping his seaty brow, then wiped his chin once more.

Might as well try to clean himself up before he presented himself to his mother.

0

–

0

–

0

–

0

–

Sakura paused at the kitchen window as she washed and dried the dishes they would use for tonight's feast. Sasukes bloody form came into view and she smiled, watching him walk over to the water spigot that was over by the wood line a few yards to the north. The other women that were in the house were helping clean the first floor; sweeping, mopping, adding extra chairs to the table in the great room, and helping prepare the large quantity of food that it took to feed a pack that included over thirty hungry lycans.

She watched as Sasuke leaned down and turned the spigot on and splashed the water over his face and chest, the water turning crimson as the blood washed away. After a few minutes of wetting his raven hair and attempting to cool his sweaty body, he turned the valve off then shook himself like a dog, spraying water everywhere.

"Sakura!"

Ino's voice yanked her from her thoughts, and she dropped the large mixing bowl she'd been scrubbing for the past ten minutes back into the soapy, warm water. Ino sidled up next to her, her long blond hair swept up into a messy bun, blue eyes going wide.

"Oooooh." She turned to her pink haired friend of three weeks and smiled ruefully. "So that's what's got your attention." Sakura blushed red, caught red handed.

Ino laughed, and picked up a towel that was sitting on the counter to her left to help dry dishes as Sakura washed. "It's okay, sak, we've all fallen victim to admiring a hunk like that. You're one lucky lady to have that to go home to at night. I bet he is sensational in bed."

The rosette next to the blond clammed up, face brighter red than Ino had ever seen it, staring down into the sudsy dishwater in embarrassment.

"Hey, Sakura, it's all right!" Ino laughed, looping a bare arm around her new friends waist. "I'm just teasing. C'mon, let's get these dishes done so we can get to cooking." Sakura smiled, face still flaming, and began to scrub the dishes with a wash cloth once more.

0

–

0

–

0

–

0

–

Sasuke watched as Sakura sat down on the swing alone. He wiped his hands on his pants and started to make his way over to her. She caught sight of him quickly, and smiled at him as he slowly walked toward the stairs. All of a sudden, a spikey, blond haired young man with bright blue eyes practically fell into the empty space next to her with a wide grin splitting his face. Sasuke rolled his eyes, and walked off to go help his father gather the rest of the pack.

God damned idiot Naruto, He thought. One of these days Im gonna really lay into his ass.

–

"Sakura!" The blond shrieked, as he fell into the empty seat, making the rosette jump. Sakura turned and looked at him, smiling slightly. She looked back toward her raven haired mate, who was now gone, walking across the large clearing toward the four other men his father stood with.

She sighed and turned her gaze back to the male beside her. "Hey, Naruto, why aren't you helping Sasuke and the others?"

He gave her a sheepish looking grin. "Well, I snuck away so I could come see you and Hinata!" She nodded, smiling.

"So...how are things with you two?" She whispered, excitement running through her system. Since she arrived in Spring Creek, Nevada, over three weeks ago, She'd made fast friends with the Uzumaki and the females within the ranks of the pack. Naruto quickly confided his feelings for Hinata to the rosette, and Sakura made it her new mission in life to get the two together. She told Sasuke about it, asking for his help, but he immediately decided that it was a lost cause; she was a doctor, not a love councilor.

"She still avoids me like the plague. What should I do?" He wailed, pulling the short blond locks that pointed every which way on his head.

Sakura knew how Hinata felt about the blond. She could tell by the body language that suddenly replaced the young, confident albeit slightly shy young woman. She remembered the lavender haired girl suddenly passing out when Naruto approached her on a group run when Naruto ran up to them butt ass naked, not a care in the world.

Well, Naruto, you have a certain way with things..." She answered, laughing slightly.

"What's that supposed to mean...?" He asked, giving her a clueless look.

She chewed her lip in thought, looking over at Sasuke once more before he disappeared over the rise about twenty yards off with the others. "Um...well...You have a habit of taking certain sitautions and making them very VERY awkward for her. She's a shy girl, Naruto." His already confused expression got worse, and she wanted to choke him. "Like the other day last week. You runing up to her naked with a fresh bouquet of flowers. Big, big no no."

"So..." His eyes narrowed, his fingers tapping a rapid staccato against his jean clad legs. "No to the flowers?!"

"God damnit, Naruto!" She yelled. "You're so clueless sometimes!"

"S-sorry, Sakura!" He yelped, covering his head as she stood, expecting her to knock him into next week. Her frustrated gaze softened somewhat, and she put a hand on his wrist.

"It's okay, Naruto." She said soothingly. He slowly lowered his arms, and peered up at her. "I'm not going to hit you. I know how Sasuke is, but trust me when I say that I am the better half, and I have better control over my temper." He nodded, looking up at her once again. "Tell you what...I have to work tomorrow. Can you meet me at the hospital downtown at around four thirty?"

"Sure!" He yelled, leaping up, excitement clearly written on his face. "Won't sasuke get mad though?" He asked as his face fell once more into a frown.

"No. I'm helping you out. It's okay. Nothing more than a friendly push in the right direction." She smiled, giving him a friendly hug. He squeezed her tightly in his muscled arms, then released her and leaped off of the porch, clearing the five steps and sprinted into the woods, following the others.

0

–

0

–

0

–

0

–

Sakura sat next to Sasuke as everyone filtered into the room. There was one seat that was empty across from the rosette and the raven haired man next to her, and she dared not ask who's it was. There was still no word from Itachi at all. She could tell that it had an adverse effect on Sasuke, who, oddly enough, revered his brother and held him on a pedestal even though he challenged his every motive. The younger Uchiha stared at the empty seat, hands stacked in front of his mouth, fingers entwined.

She wound her hands in her lap, and looked around as the table filled up.

She felt like she was suffocating under Sasuke's mood. So, she stood up.

Sasuke looked up at her, cocking a finely arched brow in question.

"Um...I'm going to see if Mikoto and the girls need any help bringing anything in." She walked away and into the kitchen, gulping in a breath of fresh, instantly lighter air.

"Sakura, why don't you go and sit with Sasuke? You haven't seen him all day!" Mikoto said sweetly, turning from the stove as she pulled out a baking sheet full of rolls. Sakura watched as the beautiful woman before her quickly tossed them into a small basket that was lined with a blood red colored cloth.

"I...He's not in a visiting mood." She answered. "So I just decided to come in here to help." She smiled, and Mikoto pointed, explaining what she needed done.

–

Sakura sat back down next to Sasuke after she brought in the large dish full of garlic potatoes. She noticed that Sasuke was in a better mood, laughing at something Naruto said across from him. The room seemed to roar with activity. Loud voices, laughter, the clatter of plates and utensils as they were set out onto the table, occasional grunts or chuckles from the man beside her, someone slapping the table as they boomed with laughter. It was just a whirlwind of activity. Sakura wasn't used to this. The daily activity of the hospital Emergency Room was one thing, but the large amount of family members packed into a tight space and having a good time was another. Her adoptive father's family wasn't exactly close knit. They rarely ever did anything together. Usually when they did there was a brawl.

This was all very strange and new to her.

A loud banging on the table resounded through the room as the last of the women sat down at their seats. The small crowd fell silent, looking to Fugaku expectantly. He stood slowly, raising a glass of amber colored wine.

Sakura didn't realize she was bobbing her leg up and down under the table until Sasuke's large, warm hand closed over her bare thigh underneath the mid thigh length, lacy, layered skirt she wore. She instantly stilled, but he kept his hand where it was, gripping her leg firmly, rubbing his fingers over the firm flesh in slow circles.

She looked over at him where he sat next to her on her left, and he stared at his father, not sparing her the time of day. She looked back at Fugaku as he started to speak.

"Ladies and gentlemen..."He smiled, raising his glass slightly higher. "This beautiful feast that our lovely lady, Mikoto provided for us...along with the other young ladies assisted with...is in honor of our newest pack member. We never really got to warmly welcome her into the pack. So, this is all for you, Sakura. Here, here." Everyone else raised their glasses with a cheer, then applauded as they settled down once more after a few seconds of happy banter.

"And..." He continued with a smile on his face, "We can't forget Sasuke. He has proven to me within the past month that he can handle the position of Beta within this pack. Today's hunt sealed the deal. He took down this deer that has been cooked and presented to us himself. So, Sasuke, stand."

Sasuke obediently stood, arms at his sides, watching his father.

"To our new Beta, and one day, Alpha. May it not happen to soon." He raised his voice near to a yell, and shouts and whistles deafened Sakura as men leaped up and clapped the younger Uchiha on the back. Sakura smiled, pride welling within her at Sasuke's newer position within the pack. She felt someone staring at her, and she looked over to her right. Only to see Karin, the redhead who somehow decided to hate her since she met her the first day she arrived in Spring Creek.

0

–

0

–

0

–

0

–

"Your father is really proud of you, Sasuke."

She walked beside Sasuke as they slowly walked down the path that led back to their place of residence. It was a new moon tonight; no light to light the path, so they had to depend on memory. Sasuke said as they left the front porch of his father's house that he was too full and drunk to shift, so they merely walked in human form.

"Hn." He glanced over at her, smirking. "I could tell." He yawned, bumping his arm with her shoulder as he stretched. "He hasn't done that very often. It was usually Itachi that got all the praise and attention."

"You don't like it...?" She asked, fixing him with a confused stare as she walked beside him on the rocky path. Their hands bumped together, once, twice, then Sasuke twined his fingers with hers.

"...No...I like it." He whispered. He stared down at the ground as he walked, swaying slightly. "I...I'm just not used to it; that's all." They walked along in silence for a few minutes, and Sakura looked up at the stars.

"I'm sorry." She murmured, before she could stop herself. "Itachi's gone...because of me." She stopped walking, and he turned and looked at her.

His eyes narrowed on her face and he frowned. "Wherever he is, he can take care of himself. Plus Shisui's with him. He's not alone. He may start his own pack. Who cares." He stepped toward her, and smirked. "Besides, Look what I got rewarded with."  
Her face flamed, not knowing whether to be embarrassed or flattered. "You're drunk."

"That may be true, but obviously I'm sober enough to do one thing." He slowly pushed her backwards against a tree, then closed the distance between them. His body met hers, leaving no space at all untouched.

"To...To do what...?" She stammered, face still blazing red, already knowing the answer to the question. He nuzzled her jaw and the line of her neck with his nose, skimming his lips over the pulse that ran down beside the muscle.

"I've been itching to yank this off all day." He murmured, biting down on the sensitive cord of her neck, making her sigh in pleasure. She heard and felt his hands go to his pants, unclasping the button, then warm fingers inched their way up her thighs, hitching the layers of her skirt up. Those long fingers pulled her underwear to the side and he lifted her up against the tree. He suddenly impaled her with his length, making her gasp loudly.

Soft moans and gasps of pleasure echoed through the forest as he set a slow, torturous rythem.

–

When Sakura was able to think clearly again fifteen minutes later, she smiled, blushing red again at what they'd just done barely a mile from his parent's house. At least were getting along better now, She thought, walking along, hand in hand with her mate, who guided her along the uneven path. And no longer at each others throats.

0

–

0

–

0

–

0

–

"Ah, shit!" Sakura whispered harshly, really wanting to scream. She was two hours late. It was most likely that Naruto grew upset or impatient and left the waiting room on the first floor. She hastily changed out of her coat, hanging it in her locker, along with her spare I.D card. She pulled her cellphone from her jeans, that hung inside of the small metal cage, checking for any missed calls as she unlocked the touch screen. Nothing.

She quickly threw off her scrubs, tossing them in the small white cloth bag she brought to work incase she soiled her clothing with blood or other nasties. She pulled her jeans up and fastened the button, and checked her watch. Nearly seven o'clock. Shit.

She jogged out into the hallway, turning toward the exit.

Suddenly a nurse yelled for help somewhere behind her. Sakura stopped dead in her tracks, wanting to scream.

No rest for the weary, She thought.

She slid her bag of clothing to the side of the hall, out of the way of unwary doctors or patients. Then she ran briskly back where she came from, increasing her pace as the sound of a high pitched beeping reached her ears. She turned into a room a few yards further down the long hallway, and stopped when she saw a young female nurse trying desperately to push a heavyset woman back into the bed in front of her.

Sakura ran to the other side, to the patient's back, settling her back into the bed. There was blood steadily flowing from her nose, and the heart monitor was off the charts. Sakura checked the woman's pulse once more with a hand to her throat and snatched the nursing assistant's stethoscope from around her neck. To check her breathing. There was a heavy rattle in the patient's lungs, and Sakura threw the assistant a confused look.

"What is she in here for?"

The nurse shrugged, and quickly looked down at the chart at the end of the woman's bed. "It says...major stomach pain. The doctor that was in here earlier diagnosed it as gas-" Sakura hurried to the front of the bed, and pressed the red assistance button. As someone came onto the small intercom, the woman in the bed suddenly projectile vomited. The strong, stomach churning stench of old and new blood flooded Sakura's senses and she closed her mouth, held her breath and closed her eyes mere milliseconds before the thick, crimson liquid hit her and sent her sprawling into the rapidly forming puddle at her feet.

–

Sakura was stunned.

She wanted to throw up. The nasty stench of human blood filled her nostrils with each breath, but she couldn't shower. The head doctor on the floor continuously badgered her for answers that she couldn't give.

"Why were you in there?"

"How did the patient die?"

"Did you give the patient any type of fluids or drugs before she passed?"

So, she said the same thing.

"Your nursing assistant," She stated, clearly irritated, pointing to the small, petite brunette that was in the room with her, that was also plastered slightly less with blood. "Called for help. I was, as you can tell by the way I was dressed, on my way out. I went to help her, and found the patient bottoming out. Who was the doctor that diagnosed the patient when she came in?"

"I was." Someone said across the room. Sakura stared at the man that came into view, ruggedly handsome; handsome enough to rival Sasuke. Still dressed in his scrubs, looking as if he'd just shaved this morning, yet proudly displaying a shadow over his jaw. Brown eyes met hers and they locked together, seemingly in a battle of wills. "She complained of minor to severe stomach pains. We gave her some meds for the pain, but it got progressively worse. We were in the process of getting the blood samples tested and scheduling an endoscopy as soon as possible."

Sakura narrowed her gaze on the man. If she remembered correctly, his name was Ryan. There were a total of three E.R doctors on call during the week, but they rarely saw each other.

"Well, obviously you weren't able to get it scheduled fast enough. She's dead." Sakura pointed to herself. "All this blood, came from that woman. How does someone with minor stomach problems and complaining of gas, throw up blood, much less _this much_ of it!?"

"Well, why don't you get yourself cleaned up? No one should have to let themselves stew in someone else's blood." Sakura sighed at the man's suggestion, closing her eyes and clenching her jaw in anger. She turned and angrily walked out of the room.

She yanked her cellphone from the back pocket of her now filthy, stinking jeans and called Naruto.

–

He picked up on the second ring as she made her way down the stairwell that led to the back entrance/exit to the building so she wouldn't scare anyone in the waiting room.

"Yo!" He yelled into the phone, and she winced, as she threw the heavy door open.

"Naruto." She said, walking out of the small space and into the open. The breeze hit her and blew fresh air through her nose. "Do you have an extra pair of clothing?"

She could only imagine the look on his face. "I...Um, Yeah, I guess, their in my truck, whatsup?" She walked up the alleyway that led to the street, stopping halfway so she wouldn't scare anyone.

"I need you to pull your truck out of the parking lot and into the alley way. Don't freak out when you see me. I don't look so hot. Seriously. Get your ass back here fast."

"Yes ma'am." He quickly hung up, and the squealing of tires echoed down the street.

Idiot must've fell to sleep in his car. Does he realize what time it is yet!? She asked her self. Head lights landed on her bloody figure and screeched to a stop just feet from where she stood. Naruto jumped out of his big, two door, '67 Chevy and gawked at her.

"Holy shit, Sak, what the fuck happened?!" He pointed at her and stuttered.

"I told you not to freak out! Don't freak out!" She yelled, eyes going wide. "It's not my blood! It's from a patient. I need that change of clothes right about now, please."

"O-okay, hurry up and change, Sakura, it really stinks!"

"I know," She muttered as she walked over to the passenger seat, and jumped in as Naruto shoved the clothes into her lap.

–

Naruto gagged as he quickly rolled the window down on the drivers side of the car when they reached the interstate. "Jesus christ, what did you do, rupture someone's lung or something?" Sakura rolled down her own window and made a face.

"No, Naruto, Someone threw up."

"Blood!" He gaped at her once more, and Sakura yelled as the blond swerved onto the gravel on the side of the road.

"Stay on the road! Just drive, Naruto, Or I swear I'll stop talking!" He corrected himself and brought the car back onto the road. She threw off her shirt, tossing it into the back seat, hesitating before she threw on Naruto's orange wife beater. Naruto turned and gaped at her again, his face blazing red.

"Sakura, dont strip with me in the car!" He shrieked, and Sakura pointed forward silently. He turned his blue eyes back to the road, his face thruroughly heated.

She pulled his shirt on and unclasped her bra, leaving the blood stained jeans on, along with her shoes. Sasuke was already going to have a fit when she got home.

–

"I'm sorry." She murmured, the windows now cracked, letting some fresh air into the cab of the truck, and Naruto looked at her as they turned onto the dirt road that led the their pack's property.

"Don't worry about it, Sakura, It's okay." Naruto smiled, straightening the car on the road. "Sasuke can be a bit of a hothead, but if you speak rather quickly, the bastard will hear you."

Sakura instantly went into a fit of giggles. "No, dummy," She laughed, looking at him. "I didn't get to help you get something for Hinata."

"Oh." He fell quiet, then beamed at her. "We can do it some other time. I didn't realize I fell to sleep until you called me."

"Yeah..." She looked out the window to her right, watching the trees roll swiftly by. "Medical emergency...Suddenly it seemed no one was readily available tonight when that poor woman decided it was time to move on."

"Are you okay...?" He asked, slowing the truck as they came to a fork in the road, the left leading to Sasuke and Sakura's place. "Want to talk about it?"

"Well...You're invited to stay and hear it out, when Sasuke starts interrogating me." She answered, twisting her hands in her lap nervously. Sasuke was going to be so pissed.

–

They rolled to a stop in the yard, and Sakura took a deep breath before pushing the door open. The ancient truck's door made a loud creak and whining noise in protest, then the hinges squealed as she slammed the door shut. She walked up to the porch that was lit up by the motion lights. She walked up the steps, and not even a second after her feet hit the hardwood porch, the door opened and there stood Sasuke.

And Karin.

What. The. FUCK.

"Hey, Sasuke, Sakura-" Naruto immediately stopped talking when he came up behind Sakura, seeing the deadly look on Sasuke's face.

"I told you, Sasuke." Karin sneered, and Sakura saw red as she saw the slip of a woman lean in and rub her breasts against her mate's arm.

Naruto felt the anger emanating off of the rosette in powerful waves. Her bloodstained hair stood on end at her nape, and she suddenly snarled. This was really not like the sweet, patient Sakura he came to know. Maybe it was because she'd had a shitty day.

"How dare you." She growled, taking a step toward her mate and the red head that stood to his side in the doorway. Karin had the gall to cower behind the rosette's mate with a feigned look of fear on her face, whimpering loudly. Oh, the coward this girl was. "You dare to give me the cold shoulder when I first come here and talk to me the way you do over the past three weeks. What did I do to deserve that treatment!? Then the worst of it is that you have the audacity to come over here and throw yourself at _**my**_ Sasuke!" She took another threatening step toward the two of them, and Sasuke threw an arm out, gripping the doorjamb, denting the metal surface.

"This isn't about her." Sasuke growled back, His eyes seeming to glow. "Where the fuck have you been."

Sakura stopped, glaring over at Karin who gave Sakura a one fanged, impish grin over Sasuke's muscled shoulder. "You know. Where. I have been." She bit out, suddenly fed up with the stupidity of the situation. "I have been at the hospital. Why else would I be covered in blood!" Her voice echoed through the clearing as she raised her voice.  
"I...um..." Sakura turned on Naruto before she could stop herself. As did Sasuke.

"Shutup, Naruto!" They both yelled. Naruto squeaked and ducked down low, showing submission as he knelt down making his body go as low to the ground as he could. This was fixing to turn ugly, He thought. What do I do...?

"Get her out of that house before I come and get her." Sakura spat, pointing at the girl behind the Uchiha. "As you can see, I am in no mood to deal with that conniving woman."

"She hasn't done anything wrong. She came to me telling me what you and Naruto have been doing."

Sakura and Naruto's jaws dropped.

"What?!" They yelled in unision.

"I've seen the both of you walking off together whispering about meeting in certain places, like tonight, I heard you tell Naruto to meet you in Vegas outside the hospital, and I went to check and you were stripping naked for him in the alleyway next to the place!" She said, smiling behind the raven haired man.

"Is that true." Sasuke demanded. Sakura raised her chin, refusing to show _any_ submission.

"NO." She stated. "I waited til we got down the highway, halfway home, before I decided to..._Strip._" Her voice dripped with sarcasm, and Sasuke nostrils flared. Before he could launch himself at her and the blond that cowered behind her, She hurled the now blood soaked cloth bag at him, and it landed in his face with a wet flop.

But now he stood there staring at the cold, bloody bag that now was on the wood floor, his face sporting a bit of that blood, the confusion finally sinking in and taking over the look of accusation on his face. she sneered, unable to stop the next comment that seemed to fly from her mouth. "Now I really do wish that Itachi were here. At least with him he wouldn't give a damn what I did, whether I did cheat or or not, come home late... because he wouldn't have been interested in anybody but shisui!" The words were out and doused her temper like a bucket of icy water. She didn't see the look of fury overtake Sasuke's usually calm features. All she saw was the wicked grin on Karin's face, her eyes lighting up at this nice little tidbit of information.

Sasuke launched himself from the door way, and Sakura tensed up, but Sasuke didn't hit her. Naruto flung himself in front of her smaller body, one arm around Sasuke's middle, the other around Sasuke's neck as he held him at bay. Naruto threw the Uchiha from the porch, and Sasuke hit the ground on four black paws, shifting in mid air, shredding the clothing on his leanly muscled body, grey eyes glazing over with a murderous look.

"Hey Sakura...Do you remember what I said about talking fast?" Naruto asked, suddenly serious. Sakura looked from the redhead that still stood in the doorway, glaring at her with contempt, and nodded at the blond that stood at her side, ready to put his body in front of hers again.

"Sasuke is really, really fucking mad." Naruto said, "I suggest that you take care of that idiot inside then get out here and talk very very fast. But then again, I don't know if he's level headed enough to hear anything you say."

Sakura turned to the redhead that stood inside _her_ house. She took a step toward her, and Karin made a run for it. She leaped over the banister of the porch to her left, and Sakura tore after her. Sakura glanced back at Naruto, who stayed in human form, circling the Uchiha and waving his arms as he talked. She turned and shifted herself, four paws hitting the ground at a dead sprint, hearing a dull thud and a yelp of pain and surprise behind her.

–

Sakura, who'd shifted to her wolf, caught up easily to the red head, and briefly wondered why the idiot of a woman didn't shift, or at least turn around to defend herself. Before she could answer that question herself, Karin suddenly flipped through the air as she tripped over a root in her high heels, and hit a lerge, knotted tree trunk face first. The silver wolf slowed down and walked over to the woman's still form and gently grabbed her upper arm in her jaws, pulling and flipping her over; Then simply sat on her.

–

Sakura let the red head drop to the floor none too gently. She looked up, noticing how quiet it was in the clearing that surrounded the house. Naruto sat back against the porch one hand on his abdomen, the other cradling his forehead. Sasuke rubbed his bare chest, his fingers, lightly caressing the bruise skin over his ribs. She ran over, dread pooling in the pit of her empty stomach. Naruto glanced her way, and when she got closer, she saw the damage.

"I got him to calm down, Sakura, don't worry. The bastard finally saw reason." The blond smiled, the right side of his face covered in blood from a laceration, probably from one of Sasuke's toenails. There was a large gash on his belly, just over his naval, and blood slowly leaked out from under his hand. Then she noticed with embarrassment that the Uzumaki was naked.

"Dammit, Sasuke!" She yelled, sending a nasty glare to the raven haired man who stood above her with a pair of shorts on.

"What the hell is the matter with you!?" She bit out, kneeling down next to the blond and pulling out her phone. She called the first number that showed up.

"Ino here, whats up!?" The cheerful blue eyed blond answered on the first ring, and Sakura breathed a sigh of relief.

"Ino, I need you to get over to my and Sasuke's place as soon as you can. Bring that doctor that stays at that house another two or three miles down the road, please! Sasuke and Naruto got into a fight, and Karin's here, I'll fill you in on the details later." She hung up, not waiting for an answer, and helped Naruto add pressure to the wound on his belly to help stem the bleeding.

Ino arrived with a tall, busty blond that wore a severely low cut shirt and black jeans and tennis shoes, showing off her hourglass figure. Her long blond hair flowed down her back to her waist, her honey eyes sharp, yet warm and kind. She knelt next to Naruto, wrinkling her nose.

"Where's that stench of human blood coming from?" She looked to Sakura. Sakura smiled, and stood quickly, seeing the 'get away from me' look in the woman's eyes. "All right. Ino, bring me the tape." After ten minutes, Naruto was sprawled out on the couch, out cold, snoring loudly.

"So, Sak, what the fuck happened...?" Ino whispered, as the blond that introduced herself as Tsunade tended to Karin out on the porch.

I'll be damned if she's coming inside again, Sakura thought before answering her friend. She sat in the barstool at the counter, and looked over at Sasuke as he walked back through the hallway to the bedroom. "Karin came over here and started a bunch of crap over nothing."

"I told you to stay away from her." Ino seethed, glancing back outside, hearing the redhead come to. She sat up, shrieking, trying to slap the blond haired woman away from her and screamed something about how Sakura jumped her in the woods and attacked her when she was defenseless and alone. Tsunade sighed, and Sakura smiled when she heard the woman tell her to shut the hell up.

"I know. I can't help losing it just a bit when I came home after losing a patient at the hospital and being covered in blood, calling Naruto to come bring me a change of clothes and bring me home so I dont stain up my car, and see her rubbing herself against my mate's arm. I tried to tell Sasuke what happened, but when she did that, then added fuel to the fire by accusing Naruto and I of...of..." Ino patted her friend on the back and her eyes softened.

"She's a conniving little bitch, Sakura. Sasuke knows this. She's been trying to get in his pants since they were fourteen." Sakura froze, giving Ino a skeptical look. "It's true. I swear. It's because he is Fugaku's son. If Shikamaru's father was pack leader she'd be itching to hump his ass too."

Sakura shook her head in disgust, then stood up.

"I do have one question..." The blond asked, putting a hand on the rosettes waist. "What was said that made Sasuke fly off the handle like that...?"

"I...I said something about wanting to be with his brother..." She murmured, cheeks stained red. "I didn't mean it though. I was just so angry that he would openly come out and accuse me of what Karin claimed was true."

Ino stood as Sasuke entered the living room once more, his hand still against his heavily bruised side. "Hey Sasuke." Ino suddenly said, and Sakura gave her a pleading look. "Remember next time that there's always two sides to a story. In this case, three. One of them most likely will not be true too. I..I'm sorry about what I said about Itachi. You didn't deserve that. I should've kept my mouth shut." Sakura said, looking at the ground. Sasuke said nothing; he just stared at her.

They stayed like that, standing a few feet from each other for what seemed like hours as Tsunade repeatedly threatened to knock Karin out again if she didn't be quiet. Sakura let her gaze shift to Naruto, who snored on the couch, his naked torso covered with a blanket.

"So..." Sasuke's voice cut through the silence, and she looked up at him. "What the hell happened and why didn't you call me." Sakura shifted uneasily under his stare, her hands fisting against the orange shirt she borrowed from Naruto, wrinkling it in her hands.

"There was a lady that died at the hospital on my way out. I was supposed to meet Naruto in the parking lot to go with him and help him pick out a gift for Hinata. The idiot has no idea on how to romance a lady..." She gave a light laugh, then sat down heavily in the chair to her left. "I...I heard the Nursing assistant call for help and since no one else responded, I went back. I walked in, checked her over, then she just...just threw up blood all over me."  
"That explains why you stink." He interjected, crossing his arms over his chest. "It smells rancid."

"No kidding." She countered. She attempted to run a hand through her crusty, crimson blood soaked hair, and gave up. "Anyway, I called Naruto, since I was over two hours late, thinking he was still waiting, and as it turns out, he was actually sleeping in his truck in the parking lot. I asked him to pull into the alley way so I didn't scare anyone. I had to take the back exit out of the hospital. I waited til we got to the interstate and changed clothes." She saw the anger on his face, and waved her hands. "I promise, he didn't see anything. He had a map in the car," She lied, and she hated doing it, but it had to be done. "I spread it out and all I did was change shirts and take off the bra I wore. I swear, its all in the bag.

Why would I be running around with Naruto behind your back...?"

"I'm sure you wouldn't..." He muttered, turning to walk off. "Because I can't figure out what that idiot has that I don't for the life of me."

Sakura sighed, closing her eyes, struggling to keep her opinions to herself. The man was just way too prideful. It was easy to see that he had an inferiority and superiority complex. She couldn't trust him to not believe Karin. The girl was a notorious pathological liar, from what Ino, Ten Ten and Hinata told her. And judging from the lack of screaming from said girl outside, Sakura believed it to be true. Tsunade herself had obviously had enough of listening to the bitche's hysterical lies and accusations.

What was the saying? Fool me once, Shame on you, fool me twice shame on me? She thought to herself. Sasuke disappeared into the hallway, and she looked over to Naruto's sleeping form. Once bitten; twice shy sounded more like it.

She didn't know who to trust anymore. Naruto looked promising, from the way he put himself between her and an enraged Sasuke. She rubbed her temples, deciding to shower, then crash on the bear skin rug in front of the fire place with a thick blanket so she could keep an eye on the blond.

0

–

0

–

0

–

0

–

0

–

Sakura stirred, waking slowly when a blanket was draped over her bare shoulders. She opened one eye and looked up to see Sasuke standing over her, stooped over so he could see her face. His fingers pried her bottom eye lid down, and she jerked back. In the process she smacked her head onto the brick fireplace behind her with a loud smack, and she doubled over in pain.

"Oh...shit!" She gingerly cradled the back of her head, and Sasuke knelt down beside her.

"Are you all right?" He asked, pulled her hand away by the wrist. He looked at her head, parting the now clean, rosy locks at the back, and grunting. "Damn, I wasn't going to rip your eye out...I was just checking your color. You took a shower then came up here in a towel and I found you on the floor." He cradled the side of her face, pinching her cheek lightly with his fingers. "I thought you fell out." Genuine concern showed in his eyes, and she huffed, willing for the other three Sasuke's to go away and her world to stop spinning.

"I'm fine, considering." She pulled the blanket around her, curling back up into a ball, trying to warm herself.

"Considering what?" He asked, his hand dropping from her face, and looking back to the snoring blond on the couch at his back.

"That you tried to attack me last night."

"That was Karin's fualt. She was egging us on and you know it."

"It doesn't matter." She murmured, closing her eyes, feigning sleep. "You had a choice not to do what you did, and look what came of it." She opened her eyes, looking pointedly at the injured man on the couch. "That very well could be me on that couch. Then what would you be telling your father?"

"You don't know what she was saying." Sasuke muttered. Clenching his jaw tightly. She looked back up at him, seeing the way the muscle worked in his jaw. His hair stuck up every which way, circles under his eyes, and he looked tired. Pale even. Sleep seemed to have eluded him.

Good. She told herself. After the way he acted...

"I was going for Naruto's throat." He suddenly said, making her cross her eyes at him, mouth gaping. "When she was whispering about seeing you two fucking in the woods I lost it. That was about the same time you said something about Itachi and Shisui. I heard the former."

"So where exactly did she supposedly see Naruto screwing my brains out?" She asked, her curiosity outweighing the sudden flare of anger that welled within her. Sasuke scoffed and smiled at her, looking to the screen door that led up front.

"I didn't actually realize it until Naruto finally shut the hell up." He scratched his jaw and stretched out next to her. He pulled the thick blanket away from her and tucked it around his body so he could get closer. "She said she saw you getting your brains screwed out against a tree the other night about a mile or so from Alpha house."

Sakura's iridescent green eyes went wide, her pink brows arching high over her wide forehead. "Oh. OH! OH MY GOD, she saw us!?" her face flamed bright red, and Sasuke chuckled next to her as she fell into a fit of giggles.

She managed to pull herself back together a few minutes later, her stomach muscles hurting. "What are we going to do? You know she's going to spread something around..." Sasuke made a non committal noise, making her smile.

"I'll take care of it. She's been a problem since her old pack handed her over. I think they did it too because they were tired of her bullshit." Sasuke muttered, closing his eyes. Sakura sighed, content to stay were she was, against the brick structure behind her, a few inches away from the man that she was next to. At least for the time being, after last night.

"Why are you always so...nervous...?" He suddenly asked, looking over at her. She worried her lip between her teeth and stared up at the smooth texture of the sand colored ceiling.

"I...I never learned to embrace my wolf as you and your family does." She murmured, after thinking for a few minutes. "My family...they weren't the greatest of sorts. Especially when it came to parenting." She twiddled her thumbs together, twining her fingers in apprehension. Sasuke's hand suddenly closed over hers, making her stop.

"Keep going and stop doing that. Everyone can see that you're nervous when your doing that."

She licked her lips and took a deep breath. "My father was a known rogue, and my mother...well, my mother was very neglectful. My father would fly into these...rages...beat my mother. Tried to come after me...but I was faster. His wolf...his wolf always fought for dominance. We would walk in on him having full blown conversations with it. He would talk in his sleep if he ever did get to. Most of the time when he'd sleep his wolf would take over. He was very mean. Especially to me. Him...I couldn't outrun.

"I'm...afraid...of my wolf. I never just 'hand the reins over'. I'm too scared to. I was taught in a very hard way to keep her at a distance. And I'm not used to this type of setting with your family. I admit, it's so nice to belong to a pack that can get along with each other for days on end and have a feast together and swap war stories, babysit each others' kids, and all that...but my step father, Aden...his pack, they were not a close knit group. They...they fought. _A lot._ I guess it's kind of rubbed off on me, so every time your pack gets together, I get so jittery."

Sasuke frowned, then bent and kissed her brow. "You weren't taught to hold her at a distance. You had bad teachers." He smirked at her and the kindness in those glittering black orbs made her heart throb. "You'll learn. We can teach you. You just need to trust."

She nodded with a fake smile plastered on her face. Sasuke looped an arm around her middle and closed his eyes once more with massive yawn.

How can I trust when all my life everyone's lied to me? How can I trust you to make the right choices when you made the wrong one last night...? She asked him mentally, willing him with her mind to answer. She mentally groaned and dropped her head back to the soft fur of the rug they laid on, looking at the clock. It was only six in the morning. She was going to pay for only having an hour of sleep later today.

She closed her eyes and willed herself to sleep.

0

–

0

–

0

–

0

–

0

–

Sasuke woke at the sound of footsteps on the front porch. He looked back down at Sakura as he sat up, who slept curled into his side, wedged between his body and the brick fireplace at her back. Naruto still slept soundly, and he rolled his eyes as he stood. There was a light knock at the screen door, and his father peered in to see the younger Uchiha wandering off down the hallway.

"I'll be out in a minute." Fugaku turned and walked over to a lone bench that sat next to the door and sat down with a sigh.

Sasuke looked at the clock on the bedside table, and scowled. It was ten o'clock. He'd slept in. Luckily it was Saturday or his father would have him skinned alive.

* * *

R/R!

Let me know what ya'll think! Gonna work on MR next. :]

Night everyone.

UchihaSanNin

PS- Thank you VERY much for all of your reviews. Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy. :D


End file.
